If you don't need your cell phone while you're on the ship, don't use it. I had to make a couple of unexpected phone calls and I had an additional $100. I'll either strictly use the internet or I'll buy a ship card as far as cell calls.

Oops - I was told this by the t-mobile rep: once you hit a port, turn your phone off and then on when YOU'RE ON SOLID GROUND.... then you'll get roaming charges or none at all depending on your plan but you WON'T be charged the ship airtime charges.

If you're an internet addict, buy the package or take advantage of their specials.

Otherwise, if you're on vacation, you're on vacation! Use that away greeting at the office saying you have very limited access to email. If it's an emergency, that's one thing but otherwise.... (since I work in a law office).... just because you waited until the last minute to do something or forgot to do something, does NOT constitute an emergency on my part. Besides, think about what that other person will learn by working things out for themselves or actually having to research how to resolve something....

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Theresa and Dave
"Tragedy plus time equals humor. You'll end up laughing about it later."

left my phone at home, wife took hers so she could make a couple calls during the week to check up on our son (i trusted grandma and grandpa to call if something happened)

Ship charges were minimal, straight rate with ATT. Like $2.49 a minute. If we were in port, the local service took over and the rates varied. Grand Cayman was around $3, Roatan was more I think. Mexico was only .99/min. Our total at the end was only another $12 in charges, but we kept the calls down and phone off until she wanted to make a call.

On the ATT site (if you have ATT) they have a list of per minute charges for all countries. You can even sort thru them and add the countries you are going to visit and it puts them in a nice chart, as well as having Carnival as one of their options to pick.

I used my phone several times during our 7 night cruise, in port and at sea. My charges were only 1.99 per minutes. I have AT&T wireless, also make sure you have the international calling program on your cell phone.

The ONLY reason a cell would go with me was to allow the ship's porters to contact me during the loading if the baggage if they couldn't find me/ had problems. Otherwise, it is off!! I'm on vacation! It was very annoying to be in a game of some kind, lead by the cruise staff, and they would stop suddenly to field a cell phone call!

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Michael

Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Courage and perserverance have a magical talisman; before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into the air.

Pick your company wisely! Hang around people who are going to help you become all God created you to be.

The ONLY reason a cell would go with me was to allow the ship's porters to contact me during the loading if the baggage if they couldn't find me/ had problems. Otherwise, it is off!! I'm on vacation! It was very annoying to be in a game of some kind, lead by the cruise staff, and they would stop suddenly to field a cell phone call!

Well I didn't like the idea when my wife would not leave hers at home, but I do understand her concern. Our 3 year old son, without his parents for 8 or 9 days. That is tough on any mom to be away that long, so I am glad in the end it was only 3 total calls, for about 2 minutes each. In the end, our vacation, at least for me, was better because she wasn't worrying about our son the entire time and was content knowing he was OK after hearing him on the phone. This is the world we live in, and I have said it in the past, sometimes I wish were were back in the day when once you left work, there was no way to contact you unless you were at home, those days are gone and we are tied to our jobs. Most people may think of leaving a phone at home during vacation, but they have no problem answering it if work is calling after hours.

...and the only reason I had mine was because I have two elderly parents at home that could have had an emergency at any time and they knew that they could contact me anytime they needed to. I knew going that if I used the phone how much it would be and I didn't have a problem with that. It wasn't like I called home and carried on long conversations. It just made ME and them feel a little bit better while I was away from home. I will carry it with me all my cruises.

Back in September, my husband got a call from home that almost meant, he would have to fly home from Jamacia...After many calls back and forth and $190.00, later, he stayed on the cruise..

I don't think anyone should be chastised for taking a phone on vacation We all have our good reasons for having them, as seen in this thread. Elderly parents, children,a work emergency, etc...The peace of mind is worth it. Take it, keep it on, or off, whatever...

Now if I had to listen to phone chatter, while at the pool or on my balcony, while trying to enjoy the cruise, I would probably politely ask them to, STEP OFF:):):)

for example I used it on the Miracle while sailing out of NY while the phone was still in network. After that I shut it off and used my ATT prepaid card to call home from port was way cheaper then the cell.

We sailed on the Pride in April, and I used my phone on the ship in Long Beach before we sailed, and once again on the ship when we were docked in Puerto Vallarta to contact some friends we were meeting that were already in Puerto Vallarta and my bill showed both calls charged out of the Bahamas.

I had checked ahead of time to find out the rates in Mexico and was shocked to see the higher rates actually charged. Must be that the ship had it's own tower, and my phone connected to it regardless of what country I was in!